Pumping unit



May 6, 1941.

J. R. HENRY E-rAL.

PUMPING um' Filed Jan. '5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToRs Y' H James ,if/eng 9. Y/oy /owa/ mm ATTORNEY May 5, 1941- l J. R. HENRY Erm. 2,241,090

PUMPING UNIT Filed Jan. 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 s I SB l ,n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\- A'rToR'N EY Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l BUMPING UNIT James It. Henry and Roy P. Downing, Tulsa, Okla. Application January 3, 1939, Serial lNo. 249,177

4 Claims. (Cl. 'M -50) This invention relates to a pumping unit particularly for reciprocating thesucker rods of an oil or like Well, and has for its principal object to provide a simple and inexpensively constructed unit of this character which is adapted for efficiently operating the rods with a relatively small power.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a pumping unit constructed to effect truevertical lift of the polish rod, thereby avoiding bending and whipping stresses which lend to failure of the rods and wear of the stuing box; to provide a smooth acting rotary mechanism directly connected with the rods; and to provide the rotary mechanism with an effective counterbalance.

. In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter set forth, we have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pumping unit embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a fro-nt elevational view of the unit.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View with the polish rod actuating rotor shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the polish rod actuating rotor, parts of which Vare broken away to better illustrate the construction thereof.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the cross head and its connecting link whereby the polish rod is connected with the actuating rotor.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational View, partly in section, of a modified form of pumping unit.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a pumping unit constructed in accordance with the present invention, which includes a frame 2 adapted to be mounted on a sub-frame or other supporting structure 3 ad- `jacent the side of a well, indicated by the casing head 4. The frame 2 is preferably formed of structural members and includes corner posts 5 connected at their upper and lower ends by longitudinal members 6--1 and side members.

8 9 to form a substantially rectangular framework mounting a platform I0 for supporting a gear reduction unit II and a prime mover I2, the prime mover I2 being connected with the power input shaft |3 of the reduction gear, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Extending laterallyfrom the lower member 1.

I at the front of theA frame, are spaced arms I4 `42 and a cross head guide 45.

lateral arms I4 and I5 are braced with respect to the member 1 by diagonals 25 and 26 which cooperate with the bearing supports in maintaining fixed spaced relation of the pairs of vertical posts |6|1 and I8-I9 so that they forni fixed vertical guideways 21 and 28 at the respective sides of the well axis.

Fixed to the shaft 24, at a point between the bearings 22 and 23, is a rotor 29 for effecting reciprocation of the polish rod 3 of the well 4, as later described. The preferred form of rotor is best illustrated in Fig. 4, and includes a spaced pair of i circular disks 3| and 32 eccentrically connected by an elongated hub 33 which extends radially of the disks and is provided with a plurality of shaft receiving openings 34 extending therethrough in parallel, spaced, radial relation with the axis of the disks. The openings 34 are provided with keyways 35 adapted to engage a key 36 carried by the shaft 24, so that the rotor may be mounted eccentrically on the shaft at selected degrees of eccentricity, depending upon which of the openings 34 through which the shaft is extended.

Extending laterally in facing relation about the peripheries of the disks are flanges 31 and 38 forming circular tracks 39 and 4Il spaced apart, as at 4I, to accommodate a pitman or connecting link 42, later described. The disks 3| and 32 are preferably provided with registering cutout portions 43 and 44 located diametrically opposite the hub 33 so as to facilitate assembly of the polish rod connecting mechanism, now to be described. y

The connecting mechanism includes the link The cross head guide is shown as comprising a substantially U- shaped body having upwardly directed arms 46 and 41 connected by a. cross bar 48 having a rod orshank 49 to which the polish rod 3!! is connected by a suitable coupling 50, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. One end ofthe link 42 extends between the arms 46 and 41 and is pivotaily .connected therewith by a shaft 5| secured from movement in the arms 46 and 41 by set screws 52 and 53. The shaft 5| has projecting ends 'which mount rollers 54 and 55 operable in thc guideways 21 and 28, previously referred to. The rollers 54 and 55 are of 'suitable diameter so that the peripheral faces 56 thereof are adapted'to rollingly 'engage the respective sides ofthe guideways to retain the cross head directly over the axis of tl'ie Well when the cross head is being reciprocated iby the rotor. 29. The link 42 `extends through the space 4I and its upper endu carries a cross shaft 51 mounting rollers 58 and 59 in such a position that the peripheral faces 60 thereof engage the circular tracks of the rotor, as shown in Figs. 1 andI 3.

Fixed to the shaft 24, preferably at a point 65, extending therethrough and through a registering slot'I 68 in the arm, as best shown in Fig. 2. It is thus obvious that the weight is adjusted radially with respect to the shaft to vary the counterbalancing effects thereof as required to relieve the major thrusts acting on-theV rotor incidental to lifting of the rods.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 6V

employs a modified form of rotor. This rotor 61 consists of a single eccentricdisk 68 having laterally directed peripheral flanges 69 and T9 forming tracks l'il and 12 lfor rollers 13 and 14, the rollers being pivotally connected to links 15 and 'I6 having their lower ends pivotally connected with a cross shaft 11 similar to the cross shaft El, previously described in connection with the preferred form of the invention. The construction is otherwise identical to that illustrated and described in connection with the preferred form of the invention.

The operation of a pumping unit constructed as described, and mounted in position relatively to a Well 4, is as follows:

The rotor 29 is adjusted on the shaft 24 to give the desired stroke of `the polish rod. This is effected by'positioning the shaft 24 in one of the openings 34 and securing the rotor thereon by the key 36. The' cross head assembly is then suspended in guided relation lwith the guides?? and 2S by the rollers 58 and 'liliA which bear upon the circular tracks 39 and 4i). The rodv or shank 48 is ythen coupled with the. polish rod. When thus connected the axis of thve'rollers E8 andV 59, as wellv as the axis of the guide rollers 54 and 55, are positioned in the same axial plane as that of the polish rod so that the weight ofthe rods and well fluid being lifted thereby acts directly in a perpendicular direction. The counterbalance G2 is then adjusted on its supporting arm to give the desired counterbalancing effect of the rotor and the load lifted thereby. When the prime mover l2 is placed in operation, the

shaft V24 is operated at a reduced speed to effect gyration of the rotor, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 2. Actuation of the rotor with vthe rollers 58 and 59 riding on the tracks thereof effects,

rise and fall of the cross head to cause vertical 1 reciprocation of the rods sof that a direct lift is effected thereon during the entire rotational cycle of the eccentric rotor. YThe link 42, being pivotally connected with the cross head, allows 'the the invention.

From the foregoing it is obvious that We have provided a pumping unit which vis of simple, in-

expensive construction, and 'adapted-for efficiently operating the pump rods of a well with a relatively small power unit. It is also obvious that we have provi-ded a true vertical lift of the polish rod and therebyT avoid bending and whipping stresses which ordinarily cause failure and breakage of the rods and wear on the stuffing box through which they operate.

What we claim and desire to Secure by Lettersv Vtric track, a roller mounted on said track,a Vlink pivotally suspended from the axis of sai-d roller, a cross head having guide meansV operating lin said guidevvay, vmeans pivotally rconnecting the cross head with said link, and means connecting the cross head with a polish rod.

2. In a pumping appara-tus of the character described, a supporting frame having a lateral extension, spaced pairs of posts carried by ysaid extension and forming vertical guideways, bearings carried at the upper ends of said posts, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearings, a rotor eccentrically mounted on said shaft between said pairs of posts and having eccentric tracks spaced apart to accommodate a link therebetween, rollers mounted on said tracks, a shaft connecting the rollers, a link pivotally suspended from the connecting shaft and depending between said spaced apart tracks, a cross head having guide means operating in said guideways, means pivotally connecting the cross head with said link, and means connecting the cross head with a polish rod.

3. In a pumping apparatus of the character described, a'su'pport, a shaft rotatably mounted on the support, a rotor including spaced disks having inwardly facing Ianges to vform trackways and a hub mounted on said shaft and spacingly connecting said disks, spaced guideways at the outer side faces of the respective disks, a cross head reciprocably mounted in said guideways, rollers on said trackways, a shaft connecting the rollers, a link suspended from the roller connecting shaft and depending between the spaced disks, means pivotally connecting'said link with the cross head, and means carried bythe cross head for connecting lthe cross head with a'polish rod.

4. In a pumping apparatus of the character described, `a supporting 'frame having a lateral extension, spaced pairs of posts carried by said extension and forming vertical guideways, bearings carried at the upper ends of said posts, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearings, a rotor including spaced Vdisk portions eccentrically mounted on said shaft between said pairs of posts 'and having eccentric tracks, `rollers kmount- =ed on said tracks, a shaft connecting the rollers,

guide rollers mounted in said guideways, a shaft connecting the guide rollers, a link 'extending between the disk portions and connecting said shafts, and means connecting the guide lroller shaft with a polish rod.

AJAMES R; HENRY. vROY 'P. 'DOWNING. 

